Car-coupling



(No Model.) i 1 I A. J. TATU'M '8v C. COLE.

GAR GOUPLING. n No. 441,907. Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

l 11' 1f l i 11 f il t 1 Z771' 1 l i rpt l 1 il "f |1 1i :n 1

4 M" I? A I 'HW' NW3 mm il 'um' WITNESSES:

VMM@

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO J. TATUM AND COBB COLE, OF JONESBOROUGH, ARKANSAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,907, dated December 2, 1890.

Application tiled July 29, 1890. Y Serial No. 3601286. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: l

Be it known that We, ALONZO J. TATUM and COBB COLE, both residents of Jonesborough, in the county of Craig-head and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the s'arne, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specifica tion.

Our invention relates to improvements` in car-couplings.

rI`he object of our invention is to provide an automatic cancoupling which will operate to couple cars without the necessii y of a brakeman or other person going between the cars for such purpose, and which may be applied to ears of rdinary construction at a very little expense.

The invention is simple and economical in construction and reliable and eiicient in use; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and definitely pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a central sectional view of portions of two cars with ourirnproved coupling applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

In the saiddrawings, the reference-numeral l designates the body of the cars, and 2 the draw-heads. These draw-heads are identical with each other and a description of one will suffice for both. Each drawhead is provided with a longitudinal slot 2, in which is pivoted at 3 a coupling-bar 4, having a hooked end 5. The forward or hooked end of said bar works in a recess (i in the draw-head, which is open at its top, and the bottom wall of which has a beveled front 7. Pivoted to u the car is a transverse har 8, having a central crank-arm 9, and at its ends is provided with operating-arms l0. These arms may be connected with chains l2, extending to the top of the car when it is desired to operate the coupling-hook from the top.

13 designates an ordinary coupling-link, and 14 a transverse bar secured to the top of the draw-head for limiting the upward movement of the coupling-hook- The operation is as follows: As the cars approach each other to be coupled an ordinary link is inserted in one draw-head and held in a horizontal position. XVhen the cars come together, the link will strike the beveled front 7 of the opposite draw-head, raising the hook, which will fall by gravity when the link is properlyT seated, engaging with said link and securely coupling the cars. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the rod or bar 8 is rotated by the chains l2 or the arms 10, as may be found most convenient. This causes the crank-arm to be depressed, which, striking the rear end of the coupling-bar, depresses said end and elevates the hook, disengaging it from the link, the upward movement of the bar being limited by the cross-bar 14.

It will be seen that the crank-arm 9 is not connected with the couplingfbar, but is entirely independent thereof, thus lessening liability of accidents to the working parts of the device, which might impair its eliciency.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having a horizontal slot and a recess at its front end, the lower front wall of which is beveled or inclined, of a pivoted couplingbar having a hooked front end, a cross-bar for limiting the upward movement of the coupling-bar, consisting of a rod extending across the slot in the draw-head, and a transverse bar secured to the car, having a crankarm independent of said coupling-bar, but adapted to engage with and actuate the same, and provided with operating arms and chains, substantially as described.

In testimony that. we claim the foregoing as 'our own we have hereunto aiiixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ALONZO J. TATUM. COBB COLE.

Witnesses:

J. Il. MANGEUM, Roer. CARLTON. 

